The present invention relates to interactive, computer controlled video games, and to entertainment facilities that accommodate large audiences, such as motion picture theatres.
Although modern public entertainment facilities usually represent substantial capital investments, they are often empty much of the time. For example, at motion picture theatres, it is common to have idle periods between the conclusion of one screening and the start of the next screening. In fact, at many theatres, no screenings at all are scheduled during large portions of the day.
While operators of motion picture theatres and theatre complexes have increasingly been providing other diversions for their audiences in a common area separate from the screening rooms, such as on site restaurants, the present inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to utilize the screening rooms themselves and similar entertainment facilities more efficiently, and particularly to use them in a manner that provides an alternate form of entertainment. The present inventors have also recognized moreover that interactive, computer controlled video games represent a form of alternate entertainment that has a significant revenue potential at a motion picture theatre or similar entertainment facility.
The seats of a motion picture theatre or similar entertainment facility could be equipped with individual user stations, each having its own games and its own video screen, such as the arrays of user stations that are found in conventional video game arcades. However, it is an object of the present inventors to provide a unique new scenario for playing video games in such facilities in which the enjoyment of the game is heightened by a large screen, and is enriched by sharing the collective reactions of a large number of other concurrent users, playing a single interactive game.
Existing popular video games include those where only a single user can play at a time, and others that allow two or several assembled users to play simultaneously. Neither of these types of games can be played concurrently by a large number of multiple users.
Recently, a third variety of video game has appeared which allows a large number of multiple users to play concurrently, but from remote user stations that are linked by means of a local area network or the Internet. The users are not all assembled together so there is no opportunity to share the experience of each other""s reactions.
Other video game systems and facilities have also been proposed that permit play by multiple users.
Crudgington, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,069), for example, discloses a futuristic styled theatre which contains a plurality of game consoles, one for each player. All players participate in the same performance which is controlled by a master computer but each player has his own monitor to view the game.
Tashiro et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,438) discloses a system where a number of players are arranged in a circle at individual consoles. The players can simultaneously play a game using a common screen (110) which surrounds the players. The apparatus contains a wide variety of mechanical systems to move the seats used by the players. As best shown in FIG. 4, and described at column 4, line 8, each player has a limited range of the screen over which he may play.
Marshall et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,464) discloses a system for law enforcement or military weapons training. Multiple trainees (who are on foot and mobile) interact with a simulated training exercise displayed on a single large video screen. The trainees utilize firearms to shoot an infrared beam at opponents on the screen. The infrared beams are detected by the computer system running the simulation and the system will fire back an infrared beam in the direction of the originating shot.
Trainees wear detectors that indicate if they have been hit.
Kagan et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,045) discloses a system of multiple hand held playing devices that communicate over a wireless LAN to allow multiple players to play the same game. The individual playing devices may also communicate to a large display to show the game scenario.
Dahl (U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,715) discloses a theatre based system for allowing users to make choices as to what content they wish to see on the main screen, sub-screens of the main theatre screen, or a screen in their individual seat computer. The theatre also incorporates a series of robots in front of the screen to simulate an imaginary creature to add to the video presentation.
None of the proposals known to the inventors discloses or suggests a gaming system for use in a motion picture theatre or similar entertainment facility in which a large number of simultaneous multiple users can share the same game experience together, heightened and enriched by also sharing in the reactions of the total group.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming system which includes a computer, game software, a plurality of user stations, a projector, and a projection screen. The game software is executed by the computer and can permit numerous multiple users to participate in a single game, up to substantially an entire audience of a motion picture theatre or other entertainment facility. The game software for a large facility can permit up to hundreds of multiple users to participate in the game. For a small facility the game software need only be able to permit up to a few dozen users to participate. The user stations each has communication means, and also has interface means for receiving user input transmitted from the user stations to the computer via the communication means. The projector is connected to the computer, and the computer aggregates the user input to create video images for display by the projector. These video images are displayed by the projector on the projection screen such that they are fully visible from each of the user stations.
The present invention can thus provide for video game control stations at the seats of a motion picture theatre or similar entertainment facility such that the members of a large or very large audience may from their seats participate in a multiple user video game which is displayed on a large screen visible to all. This game playing scenario is unique in that it allows for a large number of simultaneous multiple users to share the same game experience together, and it allows them to share the reactions of each other as the game is played.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment facility, including an enclosure having a plurality of seats to accommodate an audience of a plurality of user stations a screen, the total area of the screen visible from each of the user stations; a projection system for projecting images on the screen; and a computer connected to each of the user stations and the projection system, the computer controlling the images projected on the screen, the computer receiving user input for display on the screen from the user stations.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for playing a game in an entertainment facility, the method having the steps of: providing a user station at each seat in the theatre; providing a user interface to receive user input from each of the user stations; integrating the images from the game with the user input; and projecting the results of the integrating on a single screen, the results being visible from each of the user stations.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for operating a commercial motion picture theater comprising the steps of alternately: displaying a motion picture after admitting members of the public to view it upon payment of an admission fee; and operating computer game software that displays images on a screen in the theater, created by a computer that responds to player input from a plurality of user stations located at the seats of the theater. Preferably, the method includes providing public access to user stations at a plurality of seats in the theater, accepting and validating identification from users at the user stations to allow them to engage as players in computer game play, initiating the game play when motion pictures are not being displayed, accepting input provided by the players via the user stations aggregating the input to create game images, displaying the game images, and terminating the game and subsequently displaying a motion picture. Most preferably, the method also includes the step of debiting the user identification in an amount charged as payment to engage in the computer game, for example by means of a smart card, credit card or debit card.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment facility, comprising a theater having a projection screen and a plurality of seats arranged in rows facing the screen, a projector for showing motion pictures on the screen, a computer, game software executed by the computer, a plurality of user stations, each having communication means and also interface means for receiving user input, and means connected to a computer for displaying video images created by the computer in response to the user input.